I was standing there that morning freezing cold. Unbeknown to anyone, I decided that day to I layer myself up… four layers and counting all hidden beneath the thickness of a woollen school jumper.

As a drama fanatic, I had been awaiting this day for a very long time. It was the day we embarked on a trip to the University of Auckland to watch the famous Romeo and Juliet in all its Shakespearean Glory. I had dreamt about this day, built it up in my mind so no matter how horribly sick I felt there was nothing stoping me from being at school on that bus ready to experience some magic.

It was a half a day for the rest of the school, but for us it was time to head to the show. I remember the entire time gouging out faces in an assortment of coloured lollies, filled to the brim with laughter and energy… I didn’t know what was about to come.

The show itself started of spectacular, people running about the stage making use of every corner of the small dimly light stage. A set so plain and simple a blank canvas layered with wooden blocks masked as a chair in one scene, then a balcony the next. My entire mind, body and soul was focused so intently on the action portrayed out in front of me. Slowly with time a the beginnings of a headache entered my system disrupting the tango of the actress and actor kissing 2 metres from my seat.

The headache grew intense, my head thumping and ringing.. I look to the left of me.. then the right… no escape, ofcourse a theater geek like myself would place herself in the direct middle of the entire audience for the ‘best possible view‘.

The thumping continued like a drum playing, an instrumental symphony to accompany the actors on stage, except unfortunately was the only one it played for.

As hard as I tried to focus nothing could deter me from the pain searing inside, my eyes suddenly started to deepen as if someone removed their abilities, I was left unable to see anything in front of me. My hands my body shaking.. all beating to the sound of the collosal drums inside my head.

I couldn’t stand it anymore! I stood up dazzed and falling, leaned toward our teacher,

“sir, help me I need to go to the bathroom?”

“no.. sit down you can’t, its nearly over don’t worry”

so I sat back down and listened to the drums, twisting my fingers in agony as the final words of hte play came to a close. I watched romeo sip.. then juliet.. my thoughts “give me that drink I need to die!”

Finally the curtains close not before those words “O happy dagger! This is thy sheath;there rust, and let me die.”

I squeeze my way through the crowds and dart towards the bathroom doors. I didn’t make it far before I was pulled back and forced limb by limb onto a mangy old bus.

Sitting on a seat even to this day I cannot remember the finer details of that trip only that I was in a daze and desperate to get off that bus. I could feel it happening, turning onto the motorway the heat was intense I couldn’t hear much so I got up walked to the front of the bus then back, everyone staring at me.

The heat became intense, my body shaking in despair and fear, so naturally I start taking off my clothes layer by layer, not a care for the fact a bus full of kids were going to see me in my bra. With each new layer the build up became even more intense I could feel it all happening the pain the sharp retching pain in my stomache erupting with force

With no where to go, clothes off down to my bra I stand there in silence all eyes on me. My teacher sees it finally in my eyes the look before the vomit. He grabs a leaflet a small tiny paper leaflet and those pink lollies just keeps coming out of me.